Maersk Air's UK subsidiary will replace its ageing fleet of BAC One-Elevens in 1998 with the first of up to 15 Bombardier Canadair Regional Jets (CRJs). The selection hinged on Bombardier's ability to supply both 50- and 70-seat versions, which Embraer could not offer.
Maersk Air, which operates a network of European regional services from its Birmingham base under franchise for British Airways, has placed orders with Bombardier for three 50-seat CRJ-200s, and taken options on a further 12 of the twinjets.
Maersk Air UK's managing director Gert Kristensen admits that the CRJ series is the only regional jet which meets all the airline's requirements as he anticipates the need for a 70-seater in the near future. The contract with Bombardier allows all 12 options to be either 50-seat -200s or 70-seat -700s, but Kristensen will not be drawn on the kind of balance he anticipates between the two sizes.
The CRJ-200s, which are due between May and August 1998, will replace the airline's three One-Eleven 500s. Maersk also flies three Boeing 737-500s leased from its Danish parent, and will add a fourth in February 1998. Kristensen says that, when the 50-seat CRJ-200s enter service in 1998, the carrier's initial programme of fleet replacement will have been completed.
Maersk has seen 22% passenger-traffic growth from 1996 to 1997, predicting a 550,000-passenger total for 1997. Maersk sales and marketing chief Robert Ayling hopes that the imminent scheduling conference for the 1998/9 season will yield more frequencies and, possibly, new routes.
The CRJs have the performance to carry out all existing European network routes, according to Ayling, but the aircraft's smaller size and lower costs will permit higher service frequencies.
Source: Flight International
